Tinubu meets Uzodinma in Lagos amid rift with Wike’s Rainbow Coalition – Details Emerge

President Bola Tinubu has urged state governors to ensure that Nigerians feel the direct impact of his administration’s ongoing reforms.

Tinubu gave the charge during a meeting with the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, in Lagos on Sunday.

Uzodinma, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said he visited the President to update him on developments in the country during his recent working visit to Europe.

The governor described his discussion with Tinubu as “a very quality conversation”, saying the President was briefed on developments that occurred while he was away and efforts by governors to communicate the achievements and policies of his administration to Nigerians.

“We had a very quality conversation, and he is now aware of the things that happened while he was away and the efforts of the Governors of Progressive Forum in making sure that Nigerians are properly aware of the achievements of his government and the policies,” Uzodinma said.

He said the meeting also focused on the administration’s campaign to highlight its reforms, which he said would commence almost immediately.

“Referred straight to our campaign outing, which will start almost immediately since he is now back. So it was a quality conversation, a quality meeting I had with Mr. President,” he added.

According to Uzodinma, the focus of the reform agenda had moved beyond implementation to ensuring that Nigerians benefit directly from the policies.

“We have already taken cue from that broadcast, and that is exactly what we are doing. The reform policy has moved from implementation to ensuring that the people of Nigeria get the dividends of the reform policy itself,” he said.

The Imo governor cited the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas buses as one area where the benefits of the reforms should be reflected in the daily lives of Nigerians.

He argued that transport operators should pass on savings from lower operating costs to commuters by reducing fares.

“The advantage of having CNG buses sent to Nigerians through the various agents, that the savings made should not be as huge as it occurred now. The transporters and commuters should also be responsible in ensuring that since the cost of transportation has been reduced by the introduction of CNG, that they should now also reduce the fare they charge passengers. That way, it becomes a win-win situation,” Uzodinma said.

He said governors would not limit their efforts to praising the Federal Government’s reforms but would work to ensure that the benefits reach ordinary Nigerians.

“So we are not going to only sit here and sing the songs of reform. We are going to make sure that the benefits,” he said.

Uzodinma also cited the financial position of Imo State as an example of what he described as the positive effect of Tinubu’s policies on state governments.

He recalled that when he became governor in 2021, the state struggled to meet its financial obligations after paying workers’ salaries.

“In 2021, I became the Governor without President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his reform policies. It was difficult at the end of every month after paying salaries. That is, if we managed to pay salaries, to have money to run the state,” he said.

According to him, the situation has since changed, with the state now able to pay salaries while also funding development projects.

“Today, we pay salaries as we do and we have money to do all the achievements that we have recorded in the state. It is not only in my state. Every other state. Most of our Governors are very active, with a lot of projects here and there,” Uzodinma added.

The governor expressed appreciation to Tinubu for his reform policies, saying state governors now had a responsibility to ensure that the people ultimately benefit from them.

“We are grateful to Mr. President and his reform policies. And we are charged again to ensure the real benefits, that the real beneficiaries of the reform policy are the people. That the masses will feel the impact. That these policies, the dividends, should be impactful,” he said.

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